Barking at the Moon
by cradily
Summary: Mossdeep might be his home, but Pallet Town was always his mother's. So when she said she was moving back, he followed her lead, all the way from Sinnoh.
1. Chapter 1

"So it'll only be a few days until you get to Pallet Town then?"

"Yep," Ash said with a grin. "Felt like that ship took forever, but apparently Vermilion's not too far, thank Arceus. If you need help moving in, Mom, I can always take Honchkrow and-"

"No!" Ash started backwards, staring at his mother in surprise. It was rare for her to raise her voice nowadays, and even more so for her to look as flustered as she did.

"Sorry, Ash," she said, fidgeting with her fingers, "but please, take the time to enjoy Kanto. It really is a beautiful region. Plus," she teased, "it is where you were born, after all."

"If you're sure…" he said, trailing off.

On screen his mother smiled, eyes softening. "I'll be fine, Ash. Besides, Professor Oak and his pokemon have been so nice with helping me move in; I wouldn't be surprised if we were finished by the time you got here!"

"That's great!" A thought occurred to him and he sat up in his seat, growing excited. "Have you seen any of my pokemon yet?"

"I have," she laughed, "and it was nice to finally meet some of them. Abomasnow and Breloom helped me put some of the furniture in. Professor Oak's taking good care of them, and they seemed especially happy to hear that they'd be seeing you soon!"

He beamed at that, thoughts drifting to the friends he had waiting for him. "I'm glad to hear it!"

His mother frowned abruptly. "Oh, but where's Corsola? I know she stayed on the ship with you…"

"She's relaxing in the water by the docks," Ash explained. "The sailors were pretty good about letting the Flying types roam free, but we weren't allowed to let any Pokemon out of the boat; too much of a security risk, apparently."

"Well, you tell her I said hi."

"Will do, Mom. Now that you mention it, though, I should probably go check on her. Corsola aren't too common in Kanto, apparently."

She startled at that, blushing. "Of course, Ash! I'll be seeing you soon enough. Make sure to be careful!" He agreed readily, and watched the screen fade to black.

The sun blinded him for an instant outside the Pokemon Center, light flashing up from the water of the harbor to hit his eyes. Thankfully, the walk to the docks was a short one, a small crowd gathered to watch an approaching ship his only obstacle. He found Corsola as he'd left her, bathing in the shallows.

She jumped to shore when she saw Ash, shaking off the faint glow that meant she'd been regenerating her spikes for some time. He couldn't blame her; she'd cracked a few fighting against other passengers' Pokemon, and without saltwater, growing over them was near impossible.

"Mom said hi," he told her. He tipped his head back to squint at the faint tree-line in the distance, Corsola chirping happily in his ears. "Honchkrow'll probably be heading back soon."

He leaned over to pick her up, perching her on his shoulder. "I was thinking we could start on Route 6 tonight," he said. "I don't know about you, but I've missed sleeping under the stars."

Corsola hummed in agreement. The sailors they passed were too preoccupied to notice them, hustling this way and that around the throng of people blocking the landing. The ship was only just making land, and from where he was standing Ash could barely read the name printed in simple letters along its side: _S.S. Aqua._

"Wonder why so many of them have lab coats on," he wondered aloud. Corsola tugged at his ear, leading him on. "Got it, got it," he said, grinning.

One short stop to the shopping mart later and they're ready to go, enough food to last several days tucked away in Ash's bag. Sunset fell just as they approached Route 6, orange light setting the warm tones of the town ablaze.

Honchkrow announced himself with a loud cry, circling overhead once, twice, three times before landing daintily on Ash's other shoulder. He greeted Corsola with a happy whistle, noticeably more relaxed after his long flight.

"We're probably going to camp out around here tonight," Ash told the bird, twisting slightly to scratch at his crest. "Make sure to get some sleep, okay? We're gonna be travelling tomorrow, and it looks like we'll have to pass through a couple of cities." Honchkrow _cawwed_ contentedly and returned to the air, talons scratching heavily across the leather of Ash's shoulder pads.

They set base on a small strip of grass next to a pond, the gate to Saffron City faintly visible on the horizon. The field was just overgrown enough to be soft, and when Ash laid on his back the constellations stretched across the sky. Corsola rested nearby, still water just barely reaching her legs.

A sharp breeze ruffled his hair and he tucked his blanket in closer. The cold here was almost warm next to the temperatures he'd experienced on Mt. Coronet; but then he'd been dressed for the weather, and tonight Ash had abandoned his jacket, settling down in just a t-shirt and jeans.

For a moment he regretted rejecting Professor Oak's offer to send over the rest of his team. Stantler had been a constant source of heat in Sinnoh, frequently shielding him and the others from wind and snow without complaint. Their journey would go much faster as well with her accompanying them.

There was no point in thinking about it. It would be just a few days until Ash could see them along with the rest of his Pokemon, and for now, he looked forward to it.

Briefly he tried to compare the stars here to the ones he'd watched just weeks ago, but all too quickly he lost himself among them and fell asleep to Honchkrow's distant calls.

* * *

He woke to the first hints of dawn, Corsola butting at his side. A soft snoring revealed Honchkrow, head under wing, perched on a small, mossy log. Ash let him sleep for a bit while he and Corsola packed up and portioned out the food.

Corsola delighted in waking the Flying type once they were done, spitting water in Honchkrow's face and fleeing quickly to the pond when he squawked in indignation. The bird puffed up his crest and looked away, refusing to acknowledge Ash's attempts to apologize.

It took the offer of food and a long grooming session to soothe his ego; and by the time everyone was fed and ready to leave, the sun had long since burned away any lingering cold.

Saffron reminded him almost eerily of Hearthome, streets already bustling with life despite the hour. Small birds (Spearow, his Pokedex said) pecked lazily at the cobblestones lining the street, scattering and reforming when children chased after them. A snack vendor called out to Ash as he passed; by the time he'd reached the next block, at least ten more had done the same.

Corsola watched curiously from under Ash's arm, tucked securely against his side. If he craned his head back far enough, he could see a lone, dark figure wheeling through the sky.

A large map showed that they were only a few streets away from the East Gate; from there, Ash planned to continue to Celadon, and then onto Route 16. With luck, the forest nearby would be thin enough to pass through to Viridian, which his map said was just north of Pallet.

"We'll have to check out that Training Dojo with Heracross later," he mused, then grinned. "Hey, that's right! We can bring Breloom as well-training's going to be _awesome_ with everyone together." Corsola trilled in agreement.

"Cor!"

They left Saffron with little fanfare, but entering Celadon proved more difficult. Several guards loitered about, looking bored, and they spent a ridiculous amount of time scanning Ash's ID and then Corsola's pokeball. He'd almost made it through when an officer glanced out the window consideringly and frowned at Ash.

"That big-ass bird up there yours?"

 _That_ started a whole new round of fuss, first over Honchkrow flying free and then over his recorded height and weight. A large rule-book was dredged up and the guards bickered while Honchkrow, called down, looked on disdainfully.

Ultimately, they decided, it came down to Honchkrow staying in his pokeball for the duration of their stay in Celadon.

"Too big," one told Ash, mustache bristling. "Just much too big to be allowed flying about." They also offered to send his pokeball to the opposite Gate, where the Flying type could wait freely for Ash on Route 16.

He declined; and returning Honchkrow to his pokeball, resolved to move quickly through the city.

Security aside, the sheer amount of greenery in Celadon impressed him. The city fairly gleamed with life, trees and flowering plants twisting up and around blocky buildings, undeterred.

 _Probably a Grass gym,_ he thought. Perhaps most distinctive was the Department Store that towered over the surrounding area, size only emphasized by the monstrous oak tree curled against it.

Ash would have liked to look around a bit more, maybe even go to the Department Store. But his team was still waiting for him in Pallet Town, another day's travel away; so he jogged through, stopping only to pick up lunch for the three of them and moving on.

The guards to Route 16 waved him through, eying Corsola curiously. He released Honchkrow and they ate as they walked, the bird plucking the food from his hand from his place on Ash's shoulder.

All too soon they came to the forest separating them from Viridian, looming and dark. Corsola trilled in distress. "Yeesh," Ash muttered.

"Think you could check how large it is from the air, buddy?" Ash asked Honchkrow. He wheezed in agreementand set off, light flashing off dark feathers as he ascended over the grove.

Closer inspection by Ash and Corsola proved their suspicions right; the underbrush was near impassable but for a few Pokemon trails, winding dirt paths only a few feet wide at their largest.

To his relief Honchkrow returned quickly, shrieking his affirmative and landing.

"Alright," he told them, "go through or fly above?" Neither responded, Honchkrow turning away to groom his tail and Corsola looking doubtfully at the thicket

"Guess it's up to me, then," Ash muttered. He regarded the forest thoughtfully, and grinned. "We've handled worse."

They had, but it didn't make navigating the trails any easier. The light from above often dimmed or winked out completely, leaves above rattling ominously. Every so often he had to send Honchkrow up to make sure they were going the right way, and Corsola frequently had to knock away obstacles with her Water Gun. Compared to the jungles that spanned Hoenn, though, this was nothing.

They hit their stride eventually, sweeping through flora with ease. They'd encountered more than a few bug Pokemon; each had fled too quickly for him to fight or scan, seemingly unused to humans.

An idea occurred to him as they navigated between trees, watching Honchkrow glide lazily through the air. "Hey, try working on your agility with the tree trunks!" he called.

Thankfully, he seemed to understand easily. Honchkrow _cawwed_ and sped up, ducking briefly before slipping off, wings glowing in a tell-tale Quick Attack.

His line was never bred for speed, early breeders favoring bulk and attack for the intimidating dark type. He'd heard of some trainers who'd never evolved their Murkrow just for that reason, the smaller form better suited for fast maneuvers and surprise attacks. Compared to Swellow, Honchkrow positively lumbered through the air.

It showed in moments like these, the large bird nearly clipping his wings when he turned around a tree. Even a little improvement could be the difference between a victory and a loss, though, so Ash kept Honchkrow at it while he and Corsola walked.

They rested at a small creek about an hour later, taking the chance to wash up a bit after they ate. Honchkrow in particular had grown filthy, fluffy plumage picking up bark and twigs like velvet.

Ash carefully helped him clean his feathers with a comb, quickly growing soaked by the bird's thrashing whenever he hit a tangle. Corsola watched from under the water's surface and sneaked steadily towards them.

"Don't even think about it," he told her. Ash tugged at a small stick and Honchkrow shrieked, twisting around to peck viciously at his hand.

"Hey!" He sprang back and checked his hand. His knuckle stung, but luckily it hadn't drawn blood. Ash frowned at Honchkrow, who lowered his head and glared away sullenly. "Watch the beak!"

Honchkrow returned to grooming, turning his back on Ash. He sighed; there was no point in talking to him now that his pride was stung. He waded back to the bank instead, tucking away the comb in his bag and sitting at the water's edge.

He tipped his head back and listened to Corsola, now chiding Honchkrow in a stern voice. The light here was so sparse dusk had crept up on them without his noticing. If they were close enough to Viridian, pushing through might be worth it.

Something slimy bumped his hand and he started. A round Pokemon, smaller than his palm, blinked up at Ash curiously. His shoulders relaxed and he dipped his fingers into the water, smiling when it nibbled at his skin.

 _Poliwag,_ he remembered. He'd fought several of their evolved forms in Sinnoh; from what he'd heard they grew quickly, so this one must be quite young.

"Hey there, little guy," he whispered.

He leaned back slowly and fumbled with his bag, finally pulling out the container of food he'd bought for Corsola. The tadpole ate happily from his hand, tail squirming behind it.

Corsola approached them slowly, Honchkrow still preoccupied with his wings. She bubbled at the small Pokemon and it tucked itself against Ash's fingers, watching the stronger Pokemon nervously.

Below the water, Corsola said something; and, hesitatingly, the Poliwag spoke back, foam rising from its mouth to tickle Ash's knuckles. Gaining courage it darted forward, nosing at the spikes that jutted from Corsola's back.

An idea occurred to Ash and he moved forward, kneeling gently in the water. "If you'd like, you could travel with us," he said, the Pokemon's bulging eyes fixed on him.

He hoped it could hear him at this distance; Corsola hummed encouragingly, and the Pokemon bobbed and nodded.

His face broke into a broad grin, left hand snagging a Pokeball from the belt draped across his hip. The button clicked, and Poliwag disappeared; the ball twitched once, twice, and fell still.

"Welcome to the team," Ash said, and it warmed in his hand just briefly.

He moved back onto land and shivered regretfully, wind catching his damp clothes and plastering them to his skin. He was hauling his jacket on when a pair of gleaming eyes caught his, winking out into the cloying darkness of the forest and sending ice licking up Ash's spine.

He whistled and shuddered in relief when Honchkrow came, landing on his shoulder. He crooned and nipped at Ash's ear, temper apparently having softened. The bird agreed readily to flying him and Corsola the rest of the way to Viridian, a privilege Honchkrow rarely offered him.

Ash banished the thought of the lurking Pokemon _(not a ghost not a ghost not a ghost)_ from his mind as they rose, Corsola curled tightly between his chest and Honchkrow's back. She'd accepted the change of plans without complaint, loud yawn rattling its way out on an exhale.

His throat knotted when her eyes fluttered, pressing herself closer to him as her limbs relaxed. He should have realized how tired she was, first accompanying him through the cities and then fighting her way through underbrush. _I should have flown to start with, not tried to push myself and the others through the woods._

Ash scratched gently at her side, where he could feel the rough edges of regrown spikes overlap.

The bright lights of Viridian drew closer and closer, the forest below thinning before disappearing completely. Moonlight washed its way across the landscape, curving hills and low-lying trees around the city glowing blue under the moon and stars.

The land here laid flat enough the he could see for miles around and the sky above seemed to stretch almost to its breaking point, only barely stopping at the edges of the horizon.

 _Mom grew up here,_ he thought absentmindedly, eyes catching on the faint expanse of trees that could only be the Viridian Forest. Tropius would probably like it there; they'd have to explore the area later, when Ash had the time.

They landed at the edge of the city, Honchkrow holding uncharacteristically patient as they climbed off his back.

"You did a good job today, buddy," Ash told him, "take a good long rest." Honchkrow wheezed in assent, returning to his pokeball without fuss.

Corsola was a dead weight in his arms, sound asleep by the sound of her snores. Ash could have cried when the red roof of the Pokemon Center came into view; he felt dead on his feet himself.

"I'm truly sorry," Nurse Joy said, "but I'm afraid we're out of rooms. Usually we have plenty to spare, but recently there's been an influx of visitors. It's the oddest thing, really; but please, feel free to use the lounge."

She also offered to look over his Pokemon. He scrounged up Poliwag's pokeball, numb fingers almost slipping past the slick surface.

"I just caught this one," he said, and she nodded in understanding, handing it off to a waiting Chansey.

"We'll make sure there's nothing you need to worry about."

Ash collapsed on one of the couches, just barely dragging a folded blanket over him and Corsola. She sighed happily under her breath, and he drifted into sleep as warmth worked its way through his limbs.

* * *

 **Canon divergences/backstory will be explained later, I promise. I'm also on ao3 as OrangeMel** **; reviews are always appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

Ash's sides ached when he stretched, waiting in line to receive his Poliwag.

Two months of relative inactivity had taken its toll on his stamina, that was clear. He recalled weeks on end spent camping and climbing Mt. Coronet, muscles never aching to the extent they did now after just a day of travelling.

The person behind him jostled him forward, Nurse Joy only looking up once before returning to her work. "Pokedex, please."

She tapped away quickly at her monitor, glancing back and forth between the screen and his ID. "Poliwag, right?"

"You got it," he said, more than a little confused. Only last night she'd seemed quite friendly; now she treated him with an unsettling brusqueness.

"She's looking well, no obvious problems. From her size she's probably only just hatched, so you'll have to be careful with what you feed her. " She hummed, offering Ash his Pokedex. "You can take that back-"

"Her?"

Nurse Joy nodded shortly, eyes fixed on the screen in front of her. "Her. It can be difficult to tell at this age, but the shape of the tail tends to be distinctly different for male and female individuals of the species."

She paused, finger poised over the keys. "I'm assuming you'll be keeping her with you?"

"Uh, yes ma'am."

"Alright then!" She clapped and reached under the cabinet, retrieving the Pokeball with practiced ease and handing it to him. "As I said, just watch her food and she should be fine. Come again!"

"That was a little strange," he muttered to Corsola once they were outside. She chirped agreeably, propped up on his shoulder by the top of his backpack. She moved just slightly stiffly, already recovering much faster than Ash.

They immediately saw what Nurse Joy had referred to the night before; people streamed into the small city, what looked to be the west Gate in particular a flurry of activity.

"It's like in Vermilion," he said in confusion, barely dodging several tall figures whirling past. "Lab coats, see?"

Corsola nodded, jumping down to tug him away from the throng.

He checked his map, sitting on one of the few unoccupied benches littering the area. "Looks like we have some time to spare- Pallet Town's just a few miles from here."

His previous guilt returned when Corsola struggled to jump up beside him, hind legs scrabbling at the air. He pulled her onto his knees and pointed to Viridian. "See?"

A thought occurred to Ash. "Wanna go check out the Gym here? It shouldn't be too far from here." He grinned at her, spirits buoying with her excited nod.

The Viridian Gym, like every other facility in the city, had a long line streaming out of its doors. "Just spectating," he said, and the guards waved him past.

They only just caught a spare seat, an older couple hurrying off as a young boy left the field. A new challenger appeared in an instant, stepping forward confidently. On the opposite side, the gym leader gulped from a water bottle, sweat glittering on her brow under the bright lights of the stadium.

Debris littered the field, only a few boulders standing undamaged. Skid marks and puddles ran from one end to the other; one corner of the field had been _melted,_ dirt and gravel solidifying into uneven, solid rock. Windows above threw light haphazardly on the ground, far out of reach of the protective barriers circling the ring.

Single battle, six on four; the announcer's voice had already gone hoarse, and only reached them through sheer volume.

The leader paused to stretch briefly, wrists flexing boldly to the cheers of the crowd. Her hair shone a near black within its ponytail, skin a warm chestnut.

Ash squinted; he vaguely recognized the tighter style of athletic clothing she wore, having spent several weeks training in the Veilstone gym with Heracross. Unovan, maybe?

The roaring around them increased when she released her first Pokemon, a bulky blue frog covered with round bumps. _Seismitoad,_ his Pokedex said; Unovan in origin, joint Water and Ground typing.

Judging by the battlefield and her choice, he'd guess she favored Ground types. The challenger responded quickly; he'd been expecting that one, it seemed. A Gloom appeared, gummy liquid dripping thickly from its mouth.

"Begin!"

"Gloom, use Razor Leaf!"

"Aqua Ring, Seismitoad."

In an instant the two obeyed, sharp leaves sending the frog Pokemon sliding several feet back as it spit thin bands of water. They wrapped tight around its waist, glowing as the wounds on its chest healed.

"Keep them busy with Sludge Bomb," Gretchen (the gym leader's name, according to the monitor) called. Gloom dodged the shots with ease.

"Get your poison ready," the challenger ordered, "and get in close!" The Pokemon moved in, zigzagging this way and that to dodge the attacks still being thrown.

Ash whistled, sound lost in the uproar. That Gloom was _fast._

Gretchen knew it, too. "Have Ice Punch ready to go!"

"Jump, and use Poison Mist!" In an instant Gloom was in the air, descending quickly on the larger Pokemon.

"Now!"

Seismitoad leapt forward to meet the other, fist cocked back and glowing a brilliant blue. Gloom's mouth opened just a second before they met, yellow gas billowing out and into Seismitoad's face.

A crack like a gunshot rang out, the force of the impact sending dust whipping across the battlefield.

When it settled the audience went wild.

"Gloom is unable to battle, Seismitoad wins!"

Said Pokemon slammed its fists together, triumphant, before staggering. The gas had caked its skin in a thin layer of powder, and it shuddered as the poison worked its way into the pores characteristic of amphibious Pokemon. Aqua Ring gleamed as it worked, circling lazily around its torso.

"Looks like you did your research," Gretchen shouted, grinning. "Nice work."

The challenger didn't respond, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly before calling up his next fighter: a hulking, squat figure with a huge flower sprouting from its back. _Venusaur,_ Ash read.

This match rolled at a near sluggish rate, particularly in comparison to the last. Both pokemon were perfectly balanced in move strength, and neither trainer seemed inclined to test their speed or fight at close range.

Ultimately, it came down to Venusaur's type advantage and Seismitoad's weakened state, poison making the Pokemon slower and slower as time went on. One particularly powerful Energy Ball later, and Seismitoad fainted.

Both sides withdrew their Pokemon, Gretchen apologizing softly to the pokeball. She called out one of the strangest Pokemon Ash had ever seen; it flapped happily on the ground and whistled at the appearance of its opponent, a large Sandslash.

Stunfisk, then Krokorok; each fought and lost, until the Gym Leader had only one Pokemon left, the challenger two.

Corsola squirmed on Ash's knees in excitement, straining her legs in her attempts to peer over the rest of the crowd. He moved her to his shoulder, leaning forward just slightly so Corsola could supprot herself against the seat's back.

"Gigalith, let's go!" Gretchen cried, Pokemon forming with a loud roar.

The challenger's Clefable wheezed in exhaustion, side torn open from its last fight. The rock Pokemon fairly towered over it, but it made an admirable showing of readying itself.

"Flash Cannon!"

"Dodge it!"

The Clefable moved one second too slowly. A brilliant light emerged from the largest of Gigalith's crystal; one blinding flash later, Clefable laid unconscious on the field.

"Clefable is unable to battle; Gigalith is the winner!"

The challenger's cool facade broke; he _glared_ at the Gym leader, recalling and sending out his next Pokemon forcefully. Venusaur reemerged, regarding its opponent balefully.

Gigalith trapped it in an instant, surrounding the large Pokemon with Stealth Rock at its trainer's command. Venusaur couldn't move more than a few inches at most without tearing itself on the large stones.

The opposing trainer's face reddened, and the whole stadium heard his bellow. "Finish this-use Solar Beam!"

A hush fell over the audience as Venusaur crouched, drawing up the light from the room and into its flower. The field darkened, shadows lengthening against the walls.

Ash almost missed Gretchen's next words, quiet as they were.

"Hyper Beam."

He closed his eyes against the sudden onslaught of light and felt his eyelids begin to burn, noise reaching a crescendo around him. His seat began to tremble in its spot, a clanging rattle rising from the barriers separating the spectators from the field.

Several minutes passed before the stadium settled, the faint whine that accompanied Hyper Beam quieting before disappearing entirely. Ash relaxed slowly, lowering his hands from where they'd clamped automatically over Corsola's ears.

Debris and dust alike filled the field, obscuring their view of the aftermath.

The teenager beside Ash scrubbed at her eyes furiously, grimacing. "You okay?" he asked, watching her in concern.

She twitched in her seat and coughed. "I'll be fine," she muttered, "my eyes are just hyper-sensitive. Give em' a few minutes and they'll be good to go." Her voice scratched like two stones rubbing against each other when she spoke.

He frowned, mind running automatically over the explosion. Powerful as each side seemed, no single attack could produce that strong of an effect.

"What happened?"

"Rick managed to shoot off that Solar Beam before Hyper Beam could hit," she said, jerking her chin towards the challenger. "The two hit, and boom." She wiggled her fingers to illustrate.

"You know him?" The girl blinked gingerly at Ash before nodding. On closer inspection, he realized her eyes were unusually pale, irises an almost milky blue.

"We came from the same hometown. Bit of an asshole now, but he used to be okay. Alex." She offered her hand. He took it, nodding at her.

"Ash. And this is Corsola."

"Cor!"

"Nice to meet you," she said, shaking the Pokemon's paw in turn. "You guys scoping out the competition?"

"Not really. We're just passing through; figured we might as well check out a Kanto gym before we headed to Pallet Town."

"Nice. What region are you from?"

"I grew up in Hoenn." He shrugged. "We wound up heading straight from Sinnoh, though, when my Mom said she was moving here."

Alex whistled. "Sinnoh, huh? Must've been a fun trip." She laughed when he winced and leaned back in her seat, shaking her head.

"You chose a piss-poor time to check out the gym here, though. The dude who had been running this place was arrested a few weeks back; involvement with a gang or some shit, no one really knows. Rumor is the police had been chasing him for _years_ before they figured out he was the gym leader here."

Ash stared at her. _Just how lax is the Pokemon League here? I can't imagine that sort of thing happening in Hoenn..._

"That's why there's so many people here now," Alex continued, tilting her head casually. "The dude's name was Giovanni, and _apparently_ he was impossible to beat. Impossible as in, most people had their teams swept by his second fighter."

"This is the last Kanto gym, too, so it pissed a lot of trainers off. Now that he's gone everyone's flooding in, trying to grab a badge before the League sets up a permanent replacement."

"So Gretchen's temporary, then?"

"You got it," Alex said, and snorted. "She's pretty tough, for a foreigner at least, but she's nothing compared to what Giovanni was like. Least that's what I heard, and you won't see too many trainers walking around with Earth Badges. Or you _didn't_ , I guess."

She turned back to the field, observing, "Looks like the air's cleared."

He returned reluctantly back to the battle, eying the figure on the leader's podium with newfound respect. The crowd, quiet for the duration of the wait, exploded again into noise as the dust thinned.

Corsola twitched against his neck, stretching up on her feet to peer through the barrier.

It took a second to find the contestants, both hunched over at the far edges of the arena. It testified to their tremendous strength that they still stood, even after enduring some of the strongest moves possible in battle. The screen panned over the two Pokemon, lingering over the bruises and cuts covering their bodies.

Neither trainer spoke, watching tensely. Gigalith shuddered, crystals flashing weakly. Across the field Venusaur's knees gave out and hit the ground with a low _thump._

"Ouch," Alex said under her breath. Even from here they saw Rick's hands clench, jaw tight.

The announcer began to raise his flag when red light shot out, recalling Gigalith.

"I yield."

The stadium exploded but Rick didn't react, gaze fixed on Gretchen in disbelief. She ignored the uproar gracefully, stepping down from the podium to approach the boy from a side walkway.

Rick moved to meet her dazedly, only just remembering to recall Venusaur. Their conversation was indistinguishable at this distance, but Ash could make out the faint glitter of a badge pressed into his hand.

* * *

Ash left quickly after that, thanking Alex before ducking out of the stadium. He checked his watch; the battle lasted an hour, giving them enough time to reach Pallet long before sundown.

Corsola cringed in his arms at the intense daylight, whining under her breath. He pulled off his hat and draped it over her, shading her eyes comfortably.

A quaint country road, Route 1 emptied quickly past the southern Gate to Viridian. The bustle filling the rest of the region disappeared here, a few young trainers the only humans to be found.

The situation proved ideal for the native Pokemon, Rattatas and Mankey scurrying boldly across the worn dirt path while Pidgeys and Spearows called loudly to each other from above. Trees and large swaths of grass filled the area and offered relief from the midday sun, lazier individuals napping in their shade.

Honchkrow flew ahead willingly when Ash released him, warning Mom of their arrival with any luck.

His fingers itched to let Poliwag loose as well, the only Pokemon still waiting in its pokeball. He resisted; the heat bore down just a bit too intensely to bring out a young Water type, especially without any freshwater nearby.

He'd have to wait until they could visit Professor Oak's lab to properly acquaint himself and the others to her.

For now Ash relished the long walk, road surprisingly soft under his sore feet. Corsola seemed to enjoy it as well, spinning in circles as she walked to better watch the birds fluttering overhead.

She nearly fell over at one point tripping over her own legs and he laughed aloud, ignoring the glare she sent him.

"Try not to injure yourself too bad before we get there," he said teasingly. She blew a stream of bubbles at him, darting away with an indignant huff when he dodged it easily.

Corsola only moved back next to him when his stomach growled loudly, making his face heat up. They'd eaten breakfast in the Pokemon Center and used up the last of their supplies in the process; it was past lunchtime now.

He quickened his pace, faint snickering the only acknowledgement from Corsola before she sped up as well.

Pallet Town came into view just as Ash began considering calling Honchkrow back. "Finally," he groaned, and began to sprint. Corsola squeaked from behind and struggled to keep up, legs pumping furiously to match his longer stride.

His chest heaved when he came to a stop, sweat trickling uncomfortably down the back of his neck. _Definitely need to get back into shape,_ he thought, and rested his hands on his thighs, lungs arrived a few seconds later, collapsing on the ground and splaying her legs out on either side of her.

Several minutes passed before Ash caught his breath, brief gusts of wind making the both of them sigh happily. He started walking slowly, eyes running over the scene around them. _Pallet Town._

It was more of a village then a town, in his opinion. Of all the towns he'd encountered, only Twinleaf rivalled this one in sheer _smallness._ Houses clustered around the central road, the defining feature of the area. They passed a small general store and a post office; beyond that, the only distinct facility was the large building sitting at the top of a nearby hill, what could only be Professor Oak's lab.

Empty fields sprawled in every direction around the tiny community, a few trees here and there livening up the landscape. A large shadow fell over the southern edge of the terrain, its source making Ash squint in disbelief.

"This place has mountains?" He stared at the distant peaks for a long moment, only coming to awareness when a slight weight bumped at his ankle. Corsola rolled her eyes and moved forward, glancing back at him pointedly.

"Yeah, yeah," he said with a grin.

"Krow!"

Ash brought his arm out just in time, dark shape descending quickly to land on his wrist. "Honchkrow! Did you find her?"

He crowed an affirmative, preening when Ash scratched just below his chin.

"Ash!" He turned automatically and broke into a smile. His mother waved furiously from the end of the lane, red-faced and gasping as she ran towards them. "Good work, buddy," Ash told Honchkrow. He hummed in response and dismounted from his arm, looping lazy circles in the direction of Professor Oak's labs.

Mom hugged him when they met, beaming at him before crouching to run a hand along the top of Corsola's head. "Oh, it's so good to see you two! I'd just managed to finish unpacking when Honchkrow arrived. Landed right on my windowsill; I nearly panicked before I remembered you telling me about a Murkrow you'd caught."

She gave Ash a knowing look and he rubbed his neck, wincing. "Sorry about that," he apologized.

She laughed, looping his arm through hers and guiding him along the road. "It's fine, Ash. Our house is just round this bend; I left your things untouched, since I knew you'd want to go through them yourself."

"Awesome, thanks Mom."

Her (their) new home squatted on the inside of a curve in the path, and Ash immediately knew why she'd insisted on buying the same house they'd lived in before. Its white paint had long since yellowed and peeled, and the fence lining the yard visibly sagged at several points; she looked at it with so much blatant _love_ that he couldn't watch for embarrassment.

"Well, here we are! Home sweet home," his mother said, and led them in. The door creaked close behind them and Ash nearly stumbled at the wave of memories that hit.

"I remember this place," he wondered aloud, and his Mom laughed.

"I'd be worried if you didn't. You were already seven by the time we moved, after all."

She busied herself with cooking lunch for the three of them, Corsola regarding the room curiously from her place on the kitchen table. Ash's eyes roamed, catching on small, oddly familiar details.

He'd sat on that counter, there, when he'd injured himself in some way or another and his mother patched him up. He'd remember that shade of yellow, and what it looked like when the light hit it just right, with his eyes closed. Lines crawled their way up that doorpost under a layer of paint, where Mom had measured his height so frequently.

It's not home, but he _knows_ it, and when his mother asked lightly what he'd been expecting, he just shrugged.

"I don't know."

He tucked his unease away and helped his Mom move the dishes to the table, stomach aching at the sight of food.

Mom talked as they ate, contenting herself with his and Corsola's silence and occasional nods.

She'd planted some of the Hoenn plants she'd brought in the backyard, where she'd already started a garden. She wasn't too sure about some of the more aquatic plants; she'd been thinking about installing a pond, maybe Ash would enjoy assisting her? Professor Oak seemed awfully busy, though he'd made a point of chatting frequently and helping her move in. Several of Ash's Pokemon had popped over with the Professor, happy to visit her and impatient to see him.

He finished as she did, and his pulse jumped at the mention of his Pokemon. He pushed his chair back awkwardly. "I, uh."

She smiled, already picking up the plates for washing. "Go on, then."

He shot off in an instant, hauling Corsola up and into his arms. "You're the best!"

"Be back before sundown," she called after him. "And make sure to say hi to Professor Oak while you're there!"

When he peered closer around him, Ash began to recognize some of the scenes around him. He'd fallen out of that tree right there; he'd found a bedraggled Meowth in that drain after a heavy rainfall.

He trudged up the steps leading to Professor Oak's lab, Corsola having long since jumped down to work beside him.

They were halfway up when a call startled them, high-pitched singing Ash's only warning before a familiarly heavy weight slammed into his chest.

He dug his feet in at the last second, nearly losing his balance as the wind was knocked out of him. Swellow squirmed against him in delight, wings batting furiously. His hands came up automatically to catch him, warm feathers slipping between his fingers as Swellow scratched at his wrist. He could feel his mouth flutter uselessly, words choking on his throat.

"Hey, buddy," he gasped finally, petting Swellow's neck mechanically. Loud yelling made them both jerk, Corsola glaring up at the bird from the ground.

"Cor! Cor, Corsola!"

He sighed. "It's fine," he reassured the bird, watching Swellow's head duck in shame after twisting to study Ash sharply. "What've you and the others been up to?"

That set him off again, hopping up and onto Ash's shoulder to chatter away.

Ash shook his head at Corsola as she fumed silently besides them, moving steadily back up the hill from where they'd stopped. He'd talk to Swellow later about watching his strength around humans. For now he enjoyed listening to the bird, and passed their journey to the lab mentally comparing Swellow to when he'd last seen him.

A thin scar ran just above his beak that Ash couldn't recall seeing before. He'd grown larger, and his colors had muted into less distinct shades as well. What had once been sharp lines of red and white blended now into the surrounding blue, though the band on his brow gleamed just as bright as ever.

How had Stantler changed? Or Huntail? He quickened his pace.

Ash paused at the entrance to the lab and waited for Swellow to quiet. "You go join the others, okay?" he said. "I'll be seeing you guys soon enough."

Nuzzling Ash's neck one last time Swellow set off, darting away behind the building. Above a windmill circled slowly, catching the bright sun of evening just beginning to set. When he turned back Ash could see all of Pallet Town, laid out at his feet like a patchwork quilt of fields and houses.

He looked for only a few seconds, impatience moving his fist to knock at the large doors in front of him.

Ash twitched as he waited, glancing down at Corsola for reassurance. She seemed more preoccupied with the view while she rested, but snapped to attention quickly when the door whined open.

A spindly girl stared at him, eyes magnified like bugs behind her glasses. A large lab coat dwarfed her frame.

"Yes?" she asked, and Ash only then realized he'd been staring.

He raised a hand sheepishly, Corsola nudging gently at his ankle. "I'm Ash Ketchum. I was just wondering if I could speak with Professor Oak-?"

She hummed, regarding her notepad suspiciously. "Looks like you're good to go; come on in."

Marble flooring clicked beneath her shoes, air-conditioning catching Ash and Corsola with a blissful gust of wind.

Like a Pokecenter, he could hardly turn without spotting a monitor. Scientists rushed here and there, most surprisingly young to his eyes. Pokemon lazed about, on the floor and on examination tables, where researchers hovered around them.

"You wanted to see Professor Oak, right?" He started, and the girl sighed, foot tapping impatiently. "Follow me, would you? He's been expecting you, apparently."

The _clack_ of Corsola's feet drew several of the researchers' attentions, tall figures staring first at her and then at Ash. His skin prickled; sweat and dirt slid uncomfortably against his clothing, and he was abruptly reminded of just how filthy he must look.

There was no helping it now, he supposed. He ignored his own discomfort and watched Corsola instead, now staring up at the large aquariums lining the walls with blatant fascination.

The girl stopped near the back of the room, rapping quietly at worn wooden door. She peeked her head in and said something too soft for Ash to hear. Closing the door, she trotted off, motioning him towards it.

Piles and piles of paperwork filled the office, nearly tripping Ash when he stepped inside hesitantly. Behind a hefty desk sat a short man, back turned to Ash while he typed at a computer.

"Professor Oak?"

He swivelled to face Ash, face breaking out into a smile. "Ah, Ash! Have a seat, please. I'll be done with this in just a minute."

He did as instructed, gently lifting Corsola to rest on the top of the desk. Silence hanged heavy in the air, Ash fidgeting his hands in his lap.

Finally, the man swang back around, leaning over the stand to shake Ash's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you again in person, young man," he said earnestly.

"I feel the same way," he replied, studying the Professor's face curiously. He'd spoken with the man multiple times over the PC, discussing so-and-so Pokemon or, sometimes, his Mom. In person, Professor Oak hunched over slightly with age, and his face creased with wrinkles when he spoke.

He looked _old_ , and somehow Ash was surprised. The Professor moved with such robustness even now, using his hands frequently as he elaborated on his recent work, that Ash found it hard to reconcile the man with the image he'd formed of him.

-"which is why I was hoping you might be interested."

"I'm sorry?" Ash asked, face heating. He'd missed the last several minutes of Professor Oak's speech; the man looked at his face and laughed aloud.

"No doubt you're tired from your trek home; I did a fair bit of travelling myself, you know, when I was younger. I was wondering if you would consider working here at the lab over the next few weeks."

He folded his hands, regarding him patiently. "You see, Ash, a large group of my colleagues are meeting at Mt. Moon about a week from now. I'll be joining them with several of the researchers."

He sighed. "Truth be told, the focus topic, Mega Evolution, holds little interest for me. But as a Kanto representative, it would appear disrespectful not to go. I'll be bringing several of the researchers here as well. Unfortunately, our visit will leave the lab short on field hands."

"Ideally, that's where you come in. Two weeks helping to care for the Pokemon here. You'll have the main caretaker to help you out, and I'll personally make sure an assistant teaches you everything you need to know. You'll be paid, of course."

Ash stared at him. He continued, "You can have the next couple of days to consider. I know you might want to spend the time with your mother-"

"No! No, that's awesome!" Ash interrupted him, shaking his head. Professor Oak paused and he flushed, barrelling on. "Really, I'd love to help out here. Mom'll understand."

"If you're sure…" the man trailed, cut off by Corsola chirping in agreement with Ash's nod. He smiled.

"Very well, then." He rolled to the side, digging through a particularly large stack of files. "You're sixteen, correct?"

"Seventeen in a couple of months, yeah."

"Excellent." He returned with a crumpled form, sliding it across the desk to Ash. "Seeing as you're of age, you shouldn't need your mother to sign this. I'll need it signed out by your first day, which reminds me: Wednesday or Thursday?"

He checked his watch discreetly. _Monday_.

"Thursday would be good," he said. He scanned the paper and frowned. "A waiver?"

Professor Oak ran a hand through his hair, looking embarrassed. "Just a precaution," he said, "and an obligatory one at that. I doubt you'll have any problems, given how good you've proven to be with Pokemon."

He accepted that and tried to focus on the form. Legalities; he cringed. A faint nudge at his elbow and Corsola offered him a pen clutched in her mouth.

"Thanks," he told her, and on impulse scrawled his name the document. If nothing else, he trusted Professor Oak.

Ash handed it back to the man, who watched him oddly before coughing. He clapped, tucking the paper beneath his arm. "I'll get that all sorted out then," he said. "I imagine you're eager to visit your Pokemon?"

He sat up in his chair and the Professor chuckled, sharp lines visibly softening. "They've been the same way, from what I've heard. Head right from here and the door to the reserve will be on your immediate right."

He rose quickly, shaking Professor Oak's hand once again.

"It really was a pleasure meeting you like this, Ash. I look forward to working with you in the future."

"You too, Professor." Corsola whistled in agreement and the man nodded to her gently.

"Thursday morning, then?"

Ash paused at the door, calling an affirmative back before heading out. He found his way easily, Corsola resting on his shoulder. He stepped outside and gaped.

Concealed from the town by the shape of the hill, from here he could see the full expanse of the land owned by the lab. A small enclosure sat just at the base of the mesa, thick fences protecting it. Low posts surrounded the rest of the incline, continuing into the surrounding forest as far as the eye could see.

Where the steps down ended a dirt path began, winding its way through the woodland. Brief gaps in the greenery revealed large ponds; and if he squinted Ash could make out a distant shape, jutting above the treetops. Dots seemed to circle it; Flying Pokemon, no doubt.

 _The acreage here must be ridiculous,_ he thought. A familiar trumpeting reached him, and when he looked down he could make out a vaguely equine form in the dim light, broad antlers curling up from the base of its head.

Behind Stantler loomed Tropius and Aggron, the others waiting impatiently with them at the base of the steps.

"Cor!" Corsola shouted, and the others responded in kind, several nearby birds scattering from their trees.

Ash's shoulders lightened and he grinned, clambering quickly down to meet them.

They crowded round immediately, countless limbs and appendages snaking near just to curl against him. His eyes stung abruptly and he ducked his head. "Missed you guys," he muttered, and they rumbled in agreement as a whole.


End file.
